Suspected drunk driver in Arizona leaves former Windsor man in coma

Doctors say the recovery could take months for Terry Lewis, a former Windsor man who suffered multiple facial fractures, several broken ribs and two busted femurs while narrowly surviving a car crash in Arizona on the weekend.

Derek Spalding, Windsor Star

Published on: July 15, 2014 | Last Updated: July 15, 2014 7:49 PM EDT

Jamie Steinhoff, 39, and her husband Terry Lewis, 47. In a motor vehicle accident in Pheonix, AZ., o nJuly 12, 2014, Jamie, Terry and Brittnee were thrown from the vehicle on impact. The kids suffered minor injuries and have been released from hospital. Jamie Steinhoff had several stitches for cuts on her body and road rash all over her back. Terry Lewis is in a coma with two broken femurs, facial fractures and broken ribs. (Courtesy of the Steinhoff family)

Doctors say the recovery could take months for Terry Lewis, a former Windsor man who suffered multiple facial fractures, several broken ribs and two busted femurs while narrowly surviving a car crash in Arizona on the weekend.

Lewis, 47, was ejected from the passenger seat when he and his family collided with another vehicle while driving westbound on Interstate 40 early Saturday evening. Lewis and his wife Jamie Steinhoff, 39, were travelling with their two teenaged children at the time.

Steinhoff was driving the black Kia Soul when the second vehicle collided with her about 230 kilometres east of Flagstaff, a city located just north of Phoenix. Steinhoff — also thrown from the vehicle — needed stitches for several cuts, including those on her back where she suffered significant road rash, said her sister Judy Steinhoff who left Windsor Tuesday to be with the family.

Jamie Steinhoff, 39, and her husband Terry Lewis, 47. In a motor vehicle accident in Pheonix, AZ., o nJuly 12, 2014, Jamie, Terry and Brittnee were thrown from the vehicle on impact. The kids suffered minor injuries and have been released from hospital. Jamie Steinhoff had several stitches for cuts on her body and road rash all over her back. Terry Lewis is in a coma with two broken femurs, facial fractures and broken ribs. (Courtesy of the Steinhoff family)

Judy says the driver that caused the collision was drunk. Arizona Highway Patrol confirmed alcohol consumption contributed to the crash and criminal charges are pending. Judy expressed her frustration about the drinking and driving, but for now has to focus on helping her family.

“They (doctors) say it could be a long and slow road to recovery (for Lewis),” she said before leaving Tuesday. “They’re going to check his brain for any signs of damage, but there’s no word yet.”

Judy doesn’t have all the details because she spoke just briefly on the phone with her sister, who has yet to be released from Flagstaff Medical Center. Lewis remains there as well in a medically induced coma. Brittnee and her brother Kobe, 14, incurred minor injuries and have since been released. They are staying with a family friend.

Their father’s slow recovery will be accompanied by a significant financial crunch. Because of green card issues, Lewis was the only one working, so there will be minimal income for the household in the coming months. Plus, the Canadian family could only afford health insurance for Lewis, so huge medical bills are also anticipated, Judy said.

Without a timeline for when Lewis — a bus driver for city transit in Phoenix — can return to work, the family launched a fundraising campaign. So far, nearly $1,400 has been donated through the

Several other events have already been organized to raise money as well, including those at a Boston Pizza in Tecumseh and Bryan’s Fitness Inferno. Judy also deferred her mortgage payments, so she can offer her sister whatever she needs.

“I told her not to worry about money right now,” Judy said. “The family will do what we can.”

The collision rocked family members in Windsor. For the Steinhoffs, it was an absolutely devastating way to end what was a much-needed family reunion.

Jamie and Judy are two of six siblings, who had all just spent the past two weeks together in the Windsor area. It had been the first time more than seven years that everyone was together. They spent many nights barbecuing and just hanging out, Judy said.

The now devastated sister was at a pool party in Michigan on Saturday when she got the call from a friend of Jamie’s in Arizona.

“It was a tough call to take,” Judy said. “I started calling family right away, but I still didn’t know how everybody was doing. I knew the children were in one hospital and mom and dad were in another.”

Jamie has been able to visit her husband once, so far, in the hospital. She tried to cuddle him and let him know everyone was rooting for him, according to what Judy gleaned from the one conversation she had with her sister.

“The doctors say he looks strong,” Judy said. “He seems to know people are there because he’s moving his fingers. But I don’t know much more than that.”

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